Are you consistently good at one exam format over another?

[EmmaJC]

Hey Guys,
So as this year winds down, take a look back at your grades over the past year. Have you found that in one exam type you've been scored consistently better than in other exam types? For me, I have been consistently good in anatomy, but not as good on multiple choice exams. As for more experienced med students(I'm finishing up first year), what advice would you give to a student going to the subsequent year of study

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[vtucci]

I usually do well on more standardized clinically based exams (i.e., NBME shelf exams) as opposed to random, esoteric multiple choice exams written by PhDs.

If you are having difficulty with MC exams, look and see what is causing the problems. Is it time management?

I recommend doing as many questions as possible.

 

[spospo]

all of our tests are multiple choice and on the computer. when i study, i sometimes find myself writing a question in my head with the answer being something i just read over. no, the question is rarely the one i posed to myself, but it at least helps me to ID the important areas or little facts that are easy to confuse.

 

[grandslam521]

I am just the opposite. I often do well on multiple choice tests, but I have a very difficult time with anatomy/neuro practicals. I did very well on histology practicals, so I think I may have trouble learning and understanding structures three-dimensionally. Also, I study much more for the practical parts because I know I do not perform well, yet I still have major problems with it.

 

[Twitch]

Grade I get is directly proportional to amount of time spent on a particular subject esp for subjects that require lots of memorization of minute details. Other subjects that are conceptual take less time.

 

[IcedTea]

Hey Guys,
So as this year winds down, take a look back at your grades over the past year. Have you found that in one exam type you've been scored consistently better than in other exam types? For me, I have been consistently good in anatomy, but not as good on multiple choice exams. As for more experienced med students(I'm finishing up first year), what advice would you give to a student going to the subsequent year of study

I'm pretty equal when it comes to MC and free response questions.

 

[vtucci]

I am just the opposite. I often do well on multiple choice tests, but I have a very difficult time with anatomy/neuro practicals. I did very well on histology practicals, so I think I may have trouble learning and understanding structures three-dimensionally. Also, I study much more for the practical parts because I know I do not perform well, yet I still have major problems with it.

Damn if this doesn't sound like me. I loved histo. Hated the gross lab. No visual spatial ability whatsoever.

2nd and 3rd year-- way, way cooler and better.